Fun new addition to the RO cocktail scene!…read more The place looks great -- dark and moody, good for a small group of friends or a date, but likely not a place to get rowdy. I split several drinks and a bunch of food with some friends. The cocktails were good-to-great, with my favorite being the Sorrel Punch -- absolutely delicious! The food was a bit hit-or-miss... the truffle & cheese bread was delicious, but the skewers (we tried all of them) were a bit bland, and the desserts were alright but I'd probably skip them next time. All of the food felt frankly a bit overpriced. Service was pretty fast for a busy Friday night, and our server offered some good suggestions. I'll definitely be back, but likely just for drinks and maybe the bread, rather than for a full dinner.

this was a new place only been open about a month in Royal Oak. It didn't open until 5 PM which is…read morea little bit later than I would like. I was informed by my hotel that they had oysters. It was in walking distance from the hotel so I got there and it's a small place. I ordered a French martini which includes a raspberry Lecure vodka and pineapple juice. They didn't have the raspberry Lecure they had something other than that had vodka they didn't have pineapple juice they had fruit juice. It was a poor try for a restaurant that just opened up that didn't have simple ingredients. Their menu was tiny. I ordered chicken skewer that was supposed to have some pomegranate juice and some other seasoning. It was awful that was all you got, no side dishes. The oysters were from Maine and so tiny that you know they were oysters. This restaurant is so overpriced that I would not recommend it.

We saw this place after leaving Too-Ra-Loo and decided to make a trip back to Rochester to check it…read moreout. What we learned is that The Hemmingway Room host 6-8 week pop ups. Right now it's Hanana Nights and the menu is Cuban. We ordered cocktails while we decided on dinner. My wife ordered Hotel Nacional and I got Call Your Mother. The drinks were served in fun cups and were absolutely delicious. We started out with an order of empanadas. They were crispy and full of tender meat. For dinner I ordered the pork shank and my wife the pineapple burger. She liked the burger, but stole most of my plantains and rice! The pork was delicious. Cooked to a perfect tenderness that fell off the bone. It was super flavorful and, while I didn't get much of the rice or plantains due to my wife, they were excellent. I would love for Havana Nights become a permanent restaurant, but look forward to whatever Hemmingway does next!

My wife and I went to Hemmingways for a date night. She'd been there twice before for events and…read morekept wanting me to experience the place too. We had a nice table which started quiet and proceeded to get louder and more vibrant as the night went on. Service was fine and fast throughout. She had the Smoky Maintain which was strong enough for her to ask for an extra splash of pineapple juice. I had an Amaretto Sour which was nicely presented and tested good enough. It wasn't as strong as hers though. She ordered their Salmon Bowl which had both teriyaki and boom boom sauce; tasted good and was an ample size. My steak and frites came. The steak itself needed a little more seasoning and could have been larger but the truffle fries were top shelf. The chimichuri sauce was good too. The key lime pie for dessert presented well, but it packed the tartness one wants. There was too much whipped cream and not enough lime. That was the only real disappointment. Everything else was pretty great. A 4.6 rounds to 5.

I couldn't be happier to have this inventive distillery so close to home. Just when you think their…read morelatest theme can't be topped, the Weiss team somehow raises the bar again. The creativity, craftsmanship, and sheer effort that go into bringing each concept to life are truly extraordinary. One of the highlights of every visit is seeing Tina, Jake, and Nick behind the bar. They're incredibly welcoming, and their cocktail skills are second to none. The banana rum is nothing short of magical, but I'm also a big fan of their gin, sotol, and aquavit. Bravo to the team on the current theme, Wild Wild Weiss! I'm looking forward to making my way through the entire cocktail menu.

We went right back to the 80s last night. Weiss got it all right - the music, the neon, the smoke…read moremachine. They themed it all the way and we loved it. Honestly, the cocktails were the least successful part. Overly sweet, overly tart, bourbon was not great. They are a distilling company and use their own spirits at the speakeasy bar. Personally, I think you are asking for trouble trying to make bourbon outside of Kentucky, but to each his own. Vodka was the best of the spirits we tried. Next month they are doing wild west theme...Giddyup!

Just had key lime something was phenomenal. Highly…read moreRecommend. Great atmosphere great bartender Joe. Highly recommend

We stopped in on a Saturday evening and this place was already busy and packed. Luckily, we found a…read morespot at the bar where service was a little slow but friendly. My espresso martini was simply average. However, my husband's drink was absolutely delicious. It was called a Naruto's Express.

Went here recently and the food was on point. It is small plates but has a punch of flavor with the…read moredishes that we ordered . The service was quick and I love the ambiance of this place . Very clean industry vibes . Absolutely love the decors. The drinks were very tasty also. My favorite was the pate dish. Omg it was so flavorful. I will be back for sure

Vino & Vibes absolutely lives up to the name. Can I give this place 10 stars??…read more First off, the food was amazing. Everything tasted super fresh and the menu leans more "snacky" in the best possible way -- perfect little plates that are clearly meant to pair with wine. We ordered a few things for the table and it felt like the kind of place where you just keep ordering one more thing because everything sounds good. Nothing heavy, just really well done bites that let the wine shine. Speaking of wine, the selection is awesome. It's not the usual predictable restaurant list. There are some really interesting bottles and styles on there, which makes it fun if you actually enjoy trying different wines instead of just defaulting to the same thing every time. Service was great too. Everyone we interacted with was friendly and welcoming, and you can tell the owners are really hands-on and working hard to make the place special. That always makes a difference. And the ambiance... chef's kiss. Moody lighting, cozy, stylish but not pretentious. Just good vibes all around. It's the kind of spot you want to linger at with friends and a second bottle of wine. Already planning my next visit :)

This is a beautiful, newer, restaurant located in a renovated church across the street from their…read moresister restaurant, Rochester Brunch House. The front is well maintained and welcomes you through the door to a gorgeously decorated dining room and bar. Seating is somewhat limited (it's a small space) but we got there during a slower period so we were sat right away. The brunch menu has a good variety and I opted for the Avocado Croast (the "toast" was a croissant) and a drip coffee. Beware that the drip coffee gets only one free refill. I asked during ordering because there are some places that don't give any free refills. Hubby ordered the Huevos Rancheros served in a bowl. The food came out beautifully and was very fresh. If I wanted to nitpick, I'd say they are keeping the roasted potatoes in a steamer which is making their crispy outer layer somewhat soggy but they still tasted good. They should revisit how they are keeping them warm or crisp them quickly before serving. The avocado toast didn't have a lot of avocado but it was still good. They should consider adding some sea salt to top it off - it would enhance the overall flavor. The service was good - I think our server wasn't comfortable in this job. That was okay for us as she warmed up to us after a while. All in all, a nice experience for our first time there. I'd like to return to try other menu items in the future.

After trying the Rochester Brunch House (RBH) the day before, my wife noticed Saint 1881 was…read moreserving brunch, so we gave it a try. We thought it looked very similar to RBH, but after talking to our server she explained it was owned by the same owner. Like its sister restaurant it is a restored church with high ceilings and chandeliers, with an elegant yet comfortable feel. It's larger and a little more upscale than RBH with much more outside seating at the front entrance, near the street, and at the side (where we sat). Looks more suited for cocktails and wine, than food forward. The brunch menu is scaled down from RBH, but similar. I ordered the Chicken Omelette (omelette version of the Chicken Scramble at RBH, which I enjoyed the day before). It was noticeably smaller and less flavorful, but still was ok, though priced the same. Be prepared as a cup of coffee is $5. Yikes! We sat outside just after opening and hoping to have a beautiful relaxing breakfast. However, they seemed to have chosen a club like playlist from some pretty loud outdoor speakers, which felt very out of place, Maybe it was purposeful to get people revved up, but still, just felt off. Our server was warm, friendly and said some very kind things about the owner. She even told us how the restaurant got its name. Apparently there was a huge fire which destroyed several churches in the area and in 1881 this church was the first to be rebuilt. Saint 1881 pays homage to their roots. Very nice tribute. Our food took a little longer than expected since we were the only customers at the time, but not overly excessive. Between the beautiful outside seating, friendly service, interesting history, we will be back - maybe for cocktails or a nice glass of wine.

I've been in several times before comedy shows at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle. I'm no regular by…read moreany means but the service at the bar has always been prompt and friendly. For a Royal Oak bar, prices are very reasonable for drinks and food. It's a fairly large place and can usually accommodate a group in the early evening, though that might be tougher as the night goes on. I normally just go with my husband and we find spots at the bar. It's a clean enough place with a decent bar food menu and good prices. In RO, that's about the best you can ask for.

I've been coming here for over 20 years and still love it. Cold beer and good chicken strips. I…read morehad their chicken noodle soup today and it did not disappoint. Come check them out.

My wife and I celebrated our 55th anniversary and I wanted a special place with some nice music for…read moreour dinner. Stepping into the restaurant I knew this was the place I was looking for. the romantic atmosphere, the dim lights , and the decor was perfect. We ordered the fillets and crab cakes with the special salad off the menu. the food was wonderful and before the 5 piece jazz group ( all women) started, they announced our anniversary. Little did we know , another couple was celebrating THEIR 55th as well ! Amy, our server, was attentive to our needs and when we needed something she was there for us. Brian, the manager, went above and beyond to help me with a parking problem. Very nice ambiance, very friendly staff, and the lead singer even came up to talk to us afterwards. A great experience ! Thank you, to all who made our evening wonderful !

We celebrated our anniversary tonight at the Dirty Dog Jazz Café, and all I can say is...they got…read moreeverything right. From the moment we walked through the front door until we left, every single person we encountered made us feel like we were celebrating with family. The hostess welcomed us with anniversary wishes, our server was outstanding, the bus staff wished us well, and everyone in between made the evening feel special. It's rare to find a restaurant where the entire team is so genuinely engaged. The atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for. The lighting was warm and inviting, the room had a wonderful energy, and it struck that perfect balance between elegant and comfortable. We noticed several other couples celebrating anniversaries, and before the evening got underway, each one was recognized. It was such a classy touch. The food was terrific. We started with the potato soup, and it was one of the best we've had. I ordered the pork schnitzel, which was excellent, and Nancy's fish entrée was every bit as good. The champagne was generously poured, everything arrived perfectly prepared, and every course reminded us why people rave about this place. The funny thing is, we skipped dessert...and spent the drive home wishing we hadn't! We drove from the other side of town, and I'd make that trip again in a heartbeat. Great food, impeccable service, wonderful ambiance, and an evening we'll remember for a long time. If you're looking for a place to celebrate an anniversary or any special occasion, I can't recommend the Dirty Dog Jazz Café highly enough. Thank you to everyone who made our 33rd anniversary such a memorable one.